FORT SILL, Okla. -- The All-Army Women's softball team successfully defended its crown by virtue of winning the first six games of the Armed Forces Softball Tournament. The All-Army women defeated All-Air Force 12-5 and All-Navy 10-0, Sept. 15. The next day they defeated Air Force 8-4, and Navy 9-1. And Sept. 17, the Soldiers defeated the Airmen 3-2, and the Sailors 4-2. The women's tournament ended Sept. 18.
All-Army Women's Coach Master Sgt. Ken Fairley reflected on how his players got here.
Selection process
More than 75 Soldiers applied for the team, and from that 25 were selected to attend tryouts Aug. 20 at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa., Fairley said. Many of the players had experience playing college softball, and have been playing slow pitch since they've been in the Army.
At the beginning of camp Fairley told the players that no spot was guaranteed.
"That made the vets stay on their P's and Q's, and show they could do what they did last year," Fairley said
Nine veterans, six from last year's team and three that played previously, attended camp. During tryouts, the All-Army Women fielded two teams to play in local tournaments: one made up of veterans, the other of new players.
"The veterans went 5-0. The new players went 0-3, but all of their ballgames were close," said Fairly, who is assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 100th Brigade Support Battalion at Fort Sill.
With one team whittled down to 22 hopefuls, the players went to Virginia during the Labor Day weekend for another tournament. During the tournament the All-Army lost veteran player Nikki Forrey to an injury.
Some of the intangibles Fairley looked for in his players was leadership and team players as well as playing smart ball.
"This is the best rookie selection that I've had," said Fairley, who is coaching the All-Women's team for the fourth time. He also coached the All-Army Men's team one year, and played with them nine times.
Limited practice
The final roster of 15 players and two coaches and one trainer arrived at Fort Sill, Sept. 13, and had planned to practice that day at Cannoneer Complex, but rain nixed that. Between uniform issue, meets-and-greets and team photos, the squad had very little time to practice here before the tournament began, the coach said.
Seasoned vet
All-Army Women's nine-year veteran pitcher Lt. Col. Terri Andreoni, 41, is called Mama T as a term of endearment by the younger players. She said the veterans tell the rookies from Day 1 "to have fun, play within yourself and to hit the ball."
Andreoni, who works at the Training and Doctrine Command's Brigade Modernization Command at Fort Bliss, Texas, said playing All-Army softball is first and foremost a way to represent the service.
"Also, we do a lot of things back at 'The Gap' (Fort Indiantown Gap) that integrates with the community, and the team is like a family we call ourselves the black-and-gold family."
Future star?
Spc. Miranda Campbell, of Clarksville, Texas, said it is awesome to play on the All-Army team.
"I played college ball (Emporia State University) and it's good to feel that team atmosphere again," said Campbell, a combat medic at Camp Casey, Korea.
For game results and rosters, visit armedforcessports.defense.gov/Sports/Softball.aspx
FINAL STANDINGS
WOMEN
W L
Army 8 0
Air Force 4 4
Navy 0 0
MEN
W L
Army 8 1
Air Force 6 3
Navy 2 6
Marine Corps 1 7
Day One - 15 Sep Results
Game 1 - Women
USAF 7 - Navy 1
Game 2 - Men
USMC 6 - Navy 21
Game 3 - Women
Army 12 - USAF 5
Game 4 - Men
Army 24 - USAF 25
Game 5 - Women
Navy 0 - Army 10
Game 6 - Men
USAF 17 - USMC 18 (8 innings)
Game 7 - Men
Navy 3 - Army 19
Day Two - 16 Sep Results
Game 8 - Men
USAF 25 - Navy 19
Game 9 - Women
Navy 0 - USAF 2
Game 10 - Men
USMC 30 - Army 31
Game 11 - Women
USAF 4 - Army 8
Game 12 - Men
Army 22 - Navy 7
Game 13 - Women
Army 9 - Navy 1
Game 14 - Men
USMC 4 - USAF 19
Day Three- 17 Sep Results
Game 15 - Women
Army 3 - USAF 2
Game 16 - Men
Army 23 - USMC 16
Game 17 - Women
Navy 2 - Army 4
Game 18 - Men
Navy 17 - USAF 23
Game 19 - Women
USAF 16 - Navy 1
Game 20 - Men
USAF 21 - Army 24
Game 21 - Men
Navy v USMC - Postponed (Weather)
Day Four - 18 Sep Results
Game 22 - Men
USAF 20 - Navy 14
Game 23 - Women
Army 13 - Navy 8
Game 24 - Men
Navy 11 - Army 26
Game 25 - Women
Navy 5 - USAF 6
Game 26 - Men
USAF 24 - USMC 20
Game 27 - Women
USAF 3 - Army 6
Game 28 - Men
Army 25 - USMC 16
Day Five - 19 Sep Results
Game 29 - Men
USMC 13 - Navy 20
Game 30 - Men
Army 23 – USAF 8
WOMEN'S ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM
Outfield: SSgt Candice Dugo – USAF Beale AFB, CA
Outfield: SGT Leina Braxton – Army Fort Bliss, TX
Outfield: EN3 Janiccia Taylor – Navy USS Dwight D Eisenhower
Outfield: SPC Melissa Graves – Army Fort Bragg, NC
Infield: SPC Miranda Campbell – Army Camp Casey, Korea
Infield: SGT Jenna Martin – Army JB Meyer-Henderson Hall
Infield: SSgt Jeana Whiteman – USAF Osan AB, Korea
Infield: Capt Kristina Dempsey – USAF Suffolk, VA
Utility Player: LTC Terri Andreoni – Army Fort Bliss, TX
Utility Player: MR1 Christian Camp – Navy USS Abraham Lincoln
Utility Player: 1LT Britnee Arvella – Army MASS ARNG
MEN'S ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM
Outfield: SrA John Allen - USAF Grand Forks AFB ND
Outfield: SrA Nickolas Maragliano - USAF Youngstown ARS OH
Outfield: SSG David Moore - Army Ft. Bragg, NC
Infield: CMSgt Charles Campbell - USAF Scott AFB IL
Infield: EM1 Jacob Alicuben - Navy USS Reuben
Infield: SSG Dane Miller - Army Ft. Sill, OK
Infield: SSgt Jose Otero - USAF March ARB CA
Infield: SPC Jacob Lenk - Army Bamberg, Germany
Utility Player: SSG Kenneth Turlington - Army Camp Humphreys, Korea
Utility Player: MSgt Dexter High - USAF Nellis AFB NV
Utility Player: SSgt Matthew Faircloth - USMC MCB Camp Lejeune, NC
*ALL ARMED FORCES WOMEN'S TEAM
SSgt Candice Dugo – USAF Beale AFB, CA
SGT Leina Braxton – Army Fort Bliss, TX
EN3 Janiccia Taylor – Navy USS Dwight D Eisenhower
SPC Melissa Graves – Army Fort Bragg, NC
SPC Miranda Campbell – Army Camp Casey, Korea
Capt Kristina Dempsey – USAF Suffolk, VA
SSgt Alexis Vincent – USAF Whiteman AFB, MO
SGT Trina McGee – Army Fort Campbell, KY
Karrie Warren – USAF SMSgt Tyndall AFB, FL
MA3 Shasta Rodriguez – Navy NOS CTR, NC
SFC Shermeka Burks – Army Gretna, LA
SSG April McGarity – Army Fort Meade, MD
1LT Britnee Arvella – Army MASS ARNG
LTC Terri Andreoni – Army Fort Bliss, TX
MR1 Christian Camp – Navy USS Abraham Lincoln
Coach, MSG Kenneth Fairley, Ft. Sill, OK (Army)
Assistant Coach, SFC Andre Amantine, Ft. Sill, OK (Army)
Trainer, SFC Parrish Purnell, Bethesda, MD (Army)
*Selections were based on performance and availability. Team will represent the U.S. Armed Forces in the 2012 Amateur Softball Association National Championship, 28-30 Sep in Oklahoma City, OK.
*ALL ARMED FORCES MEN'S TEAM
SrA John Allen - USAF Grand Forks AFB ND
SrA Nickolas Maragliano - USAF Youngstown ARS OH
SSG David Moore - Army Ft. Bragg, NC
CMSgt Charles Campbell - USAF Scott AFB IL
EM1 Jacob Alicuben - Navy USS Reuben
SSG Dane Miller - Army Ft. Sill, OK
SSgt Jose Otero - USAF March ARB CA
SPC Jacob Lenk - Army Bamberg, Germany
SPC Marshall Woods - Army Schofield Barracks, HI
GySgt Rynne Brandt - USMC MCB Camp Pendleton, CA
BM2 Waylon Logsdon - Navy Honolulu, HI
SGT Eric Querry - Army Ft. Hood, TX
SSG Kenneth Turlington - Army Camp Humphreys, Korea
MSgt Dexter High - USAF Nellis AFB NV
SSgt Matthew Faircloth - USMC MCB Camp Lejeune, NC
Coach, CSM (Ret.) Victor Rivera, Ft. Drum, NY (Army)
Assistant Coach, SFC Michael Dochwat, Fort Sill, OK (Army)
*Selections were based on performance and availability. Team will represent the U.S. Armed Forces in the 2013 Amateur Softball Association National Championship, 26-30 Sep in Ridgeland, MS.